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Chambers Rips Dono's Decision To Go Pro Early

"Donovan, a skilled defenseman with good upside but a penchant to try to do too much, may have signed with the Islanders but I don’t think he will be playing with the Islanders anytime soon, if ever. Is he NHL material right now? Absolutely not. Is this just me talking or a handful of people smarter than me? Both." [read entire article]

Sort of suprising that Chambers would take this stance, but I guess he's entitled to his opinion. He may be right, he may be wrong--only time will tell. I really thought Donovan could have used another year here. Based on what I saw this year, he needs to improve his defensive play, be more physical, rely on his teammates more, and make the safe pass/decision instead of trying to do too much. But at the end of the day, if Donovan, his family, and the Islanders organization feel this is right move, so be it. It's hard to fault a guy for pursuing his dream.

Donovan implied in an interview that his goal is to be playing in the NHL at the start of next season.

“Starting now will just help me get my feet wet in my professional hockey career,” Donovan said. “It will help me figure out where I am and where need to be (talent and endurance wise), which will really help me figure out how hard I need to work this summer to make it to the Island.”

What everyone seems to be missing here is the fact that "Family Advisors" are almost always in the middle of these types of situations. They're very persuasive, sometimes even to the point of riding the edge of what is considered ethical. Whatever bug the advisor put in Matt's ear seems to have convinced him (Matt) that he's doing the right thing.

What anyone thinks of his decision is irrelevant. He's made his choice and now has to live with it. Sure, I would love to see Matt stay another season. Heck, I'd like to see ALL players exhaust their eligibility and get their degrees. After all, a pro hockey career doesn't last forever and there is life after hockey. Maybe Matt will finish his education, who knows.

Not so fast there. The guy knows hockey - lets give him that. And he shares his views with those who matter. WHY do you think DG never signed on with the New York Islanders? Because he took Chambers' advice long ago, advising DG he wasn't ready to play in the NHL! Still - Some of us remain hopeful though